1759 French and Indian War Powder Horn

Appraised on: August 4, 2007

Appraised in: Spokane, Washington

Appraised by: Christopher Mitchell

Category: Arms & Militaria

Episode Info: Spokane (#1212)

Originally Aired: April 14, 2008

IMAGE: 1 of 1  

Appraisal Video: (2:43)

GUEST: I've had it in my family for about 40 years. It was my husband's family, and I've kept it under wraps to make sure that none of the children or grandchildren got to it. And basically, I've just taken care of it. And I really don't know a whole lot about it or how long it's been in my husband's family-- his great-grandfather's.

APPRAISER: Well, I think you notice that it says "Lemuel Moffite," and then it says it's made at Crown Point. Tell me what you know about Crown Point.

GUEST: What little I know about Crown Point I discovered on the computer last night. And after Colonel Amherst, an Englishman, seized Fort Ticonderoga, it was completely blown apart by the French in the French-Indian War. And whilst it was being refurbished, he decided to build another fort at Crown Point. And that's the little I know.

APPRAISER: Well, what we have-- it's a professionally carved powder horn from the French and Indian War. It's carved in the year 1759. There's a great deal of artistry in it. It tells a lot about the soldier who carried it. It identifies the horn as his. It says "Lemuel Moffite, his horn, made at Crown Point, October the 5th, 1759." So that's right in the French and Indian War.

GUEST: Right. So if we roll it over just a little further, it has this really cute motto, where it says, "Success to thee..." and then "Arms." And something's been crossed out.

GUEST: Do you think it was crossed out, or...?

APPRAISER: Oh, yes... Or has it just been worn?

GUEST: No, that's what's interesting about it. It's definitely been removed on purpose.

APPRAISER: Oh, it has?

GUEST: It said, "Success to the British Arms." And we'll go ahead and finish looking at the rest of the horn. We'll see there's these two nice brigs. Here's an actual depiction of Fort Ticonderoga itself. Very, very well done. And then we have this wonderful artistic carving with these floral motifs. It's a great horn. It's the horn that obviously Lemuel Moffite carried during the French and Indian War. That's what makes it exciting, I think. But what's even... to me even neater, at some point, this horn probably belonged to an American-- probably in the American Revolution. So what he's done is, he's removed the "British." It's in really nice shape. It still has the original butt, the original staple in here for holding the sling. There is a small crack here...

GUEST: Oh.

APPRAISER: But that's okay. Somebody's gone in with wire to keep it together.

GUEST: Together, yes.

APPRAISER: That's okay, that's not bad. All of the carving and everything is still in wonderful shape. I think, retail, this horn is probably somewhere between $8,000 and $10,000.

GUEST: Good heavens! Really?

APPRAISER: It's a really good horn.

GUEST: I'm just amazed.

APPRAISER: It's a gorgeous horn, and it's very, very well done.